We won’t force Hazard to extend his Chelsea contract – Sarri

Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri has said that the decision on Eden Hazard’s contract extension rests solely with the player.

The Italian said the club had made clear its decision to offer the 27-year-old Belgian star a contract extension.

However, he made it clear that the club would not keep the player against his will.

The midfielder, who joined Chelsea from Lille for £32 million in 2012, is believed to be on a current contract valued at £350,000 ($450,000) a week.

Hazard, whose contract runs out in June 2020, has been courted by UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid, whose interest have intensified with the loss of talismanic star, Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus and Hazard’s sterling performance at the 2018 World Cup, where he helped Belgium to its best-ever finish of third place.

Sarri said, “The club is available to sign a new contract immediately, but it’s up to him if he wants to renew or not.

“I want Eden here, of course, but I want him here if he wants to stay here.”

“I know very well that there are discussions between the club and the manager of Eden every week, I think, so if there is something new, the club will call me immediately.”

John is a University of Lagos-trained journalist. His views are always the end products of a deliberate search for information and knowledge. He has read almost every novel written by Chinua Achebe, Jeffrey Archer and Dan Brown. He is an expert Scrabble and draughts player who is also excellent at swimming. If you know the capitals of 45 African countries by heart, then you are exactly like him.